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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Illustration

57 Ranked Colleges
2,309 Degrees Awarded
$41,100 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Illustration Major

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Illustration is the 249th most popular major in the country with 2,804 degrees awarded in 2021-2022.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,309 illustration graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,724 and $23,030 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major” ranking, we looked at 57 colleges that offer a degree in illustration. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in illustration.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Illustration Schools

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Illustration

1
The Academy crest
American Academy of Art
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend American Academy of Art. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major. The Academy is a private for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Illustration at The Academy

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pennsylvania College of Art and Design. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It awarded 14 bachelors’s illustration degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Pennsylvania College of Art and Design Illustration Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Art Academy of Cincinnati. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major. Cincinnati, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s illustration degrees to 11 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Illustration at AAC

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s illustration degrees to 77 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Illustration Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ringling College of Art and Design. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. Located in Sarasota, Florida, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 108 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s illustration students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Illustration at Ringling College

6
Art Center College of Design crest
Art Center College of Design
Pasadena, California

Art Center College of Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking, coming in at #6. This small school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 149 bachelors’s illustration degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Illustration at Art Center College of Design

7

With a ranking of #7, Minneapolis College of Art and Design did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. MCAD is a private not-for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full MCAD Illustration Report

8
Montserrat College of Art crest
Montserrat College of Art
Beverly, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #8, Montserrat College of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. Beverly, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s illustration degrees to 25 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Montserrat College of Art Illustration Report

9
Nossi College of Art crest
Nossi College of Art
Nashville, Tennessee

Nossi College of Art came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s illustration degrees to 11 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Illustration at Nossi College of Art

10

Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. RMCAD is a small private for-profit school situated in Lakewood, Colorado. It awarded 35 bachelors’s illustration degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Illustration at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design

11

Pacific Northwest College of Art ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. Portland, Oregon is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s illustration degrees to 23 students in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Pacific Northwest College of Art Illustration Report

12

Columbus College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 56 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s illustration students in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Illustration at CCAD

13

College for Creative Studies did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking, coming in at #13. This small school is located in Detroit, Michigan, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s illustration degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Illustration at CCS

14
Kansas City Art Institute crest
Kansas City Art Institute
Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City Art Institute came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. Kansas City Art Institute is located in Kansas City, Missouri and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 27 bachelors’s illustration degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Illustration at Kansas City Art Institute

15
SVA crest
School of Visual Arts
New York, New York

School of Visual Arts landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. School of Visual Arts is a small school located in New York, New York that handed out 254 bachelors’s illustration degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Illustration at School of Visual Arts

16
LCAD crest
Laguna College of Art and Design
Laguna Beach, California

Laguna College of Art and Design came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. Laguna College of Art and Design is a small school located in Laguna Beach, California that handed out 35 bachelors’s illustration degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Illustration at Laguna College of Art and Design

17
Moore College crest
Moore College of Art and Design
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Moore College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking, coming in at #17. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s illustration degrees to 14 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Illustration at Moore College of Art and Design

18

Massachusetts College of Art and Design ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. This small school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 75 bachelors’s illustration degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Illustration at Massachusetts College of Art and Design

19
PAFA crest
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. PAFA is a small school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 6 bachelors’s illustration degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Illustration at PAFA

20

Maryland Institute College of Art landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s illustration degrees to 93 students in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full MICA Illustration Report

21

With a ranking of #21, Cleveland Institute of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. CIA is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Illustration at CIA

22
RISD crest
Rhode Island School of Design
Providence, Rhode Island

Rhode Island School of Design landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. Providence, Rhode Island is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s illustration degrees to 89 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Rhode Island School of Design Illustration Report

23

With a ranking of #23, Savannah College of Art and Design did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. Located in Savannah, Georgia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 364 degrees to qualified bachelors’s illustration students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Illustration at SCAD

24
Maine College of Art crest
Maine College of Art
Portland, Maine

With a ranking of #24, Maine College of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. Maine College of Art is a small school located in Portland, Maine that handed out 18 bachelors’s illustration degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Illustration at Maine College of Art

25
California College of the Arts crest
California College of the Arts
San Francisco, California

California College of the Arts came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. California College of the Arts is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Illustration at California College of the Arts

Notes and References

References

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